MARTYRDÖD (Eng.)
– Hi, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to? How is everything doing right now with MARTYRDÖD?
Right now Summer is in full bloom. I have vacation. And I try to spend as much time out in the sun with my children before we’ll go on tour in two weeks. Life is sweet!
– You are about to release your new album, «Elddop». What are your expectations on this release? And what are your feelings on the final outcome?
Im satisfied with the album and how the songs fell into place in the end. I wanted to push myself with the songwriting to create something truly intense while still remaining faithful to the distinct Martyrdöd-sound and our style!
– Digging into this new release; what do some of its lyrics deal with?
The lyrics are mostly dramatizations of personal issues. I have channeled lots of bullshit Ive been through the years. Without revealing too much. I have used some of inspiration from a disulisioned experience of a psuedo-psychiatry/co-counseling-cult, and lovesick rage and heartache from a broken relationship. Some issues Imnot very comfortable talking about. Anyway, I think the introspect Swedish lyrics on this album are subordinate to the emotional intensity of the expression. I do not think you need to get lyrics to grasp the essence of the album. I would rather encourage listeners to make up their own interpretation instead. My only ambition was was to capture some raw honest emotions for myself. If it makes any sense or not has not been my concern this time around.
– Cover artwork looks quite simple yet strong. Would you mind to comment a bit on what were you looking for and what did you want the cover to depict?
We have used the same graphic artist (Felicia) on every Martyrdöd album so far. We wanted to have something unique and different for this album. When Felicia sent us this minimalistic design with the Elddop-font and nothing else, I was instantly convinced this was the iconic artwork needed for this album.
– After giving the opus some spins it really stood out the guitar field, with heavier riffs, with a bigger dissonance. How did you focus your guitar playing on the album?
We always had the same ideal when it comes to guitar-sound and tone. I guess there is always a little natural progression when it comes to songwriting. Sorting out the filler and keeping whats essential!
– Anyway you have managed to keep a lot of feeling into the riffs and leads, getting a good balance between brutality and emotion. Is something easy to get?
Im not sure, I guess thats also natural. Making music is my biggest passion and there is an ecstacy in the songwriting where I can play with emotions and also transform them.
– On the other hand, leads are really dynamic, with really interesting harmonies. Into a quite traditional style, how much do you look for some variation and dynamic?
when it comes to songwriting for me the parts are usually very sharp from the beginnig when they play in my head. I also spend lots of time playing guitar
with my head in the clouds, but the best parts are usually very sharp from the beginning.
– Overall the album is heavier than ever before I could say. Was this how you envisioned the album since the beginning or do you just go with the flow?
This should the ambition for every album, I believe. The instrumentation is the same and its the same studio. But I think the songwriting is so desperate, its almost dangerous on Elddop! I guess thats it!
– Ambiences seem to play an important role here, would you agree on this?
I guess its something inherent in the songs then.
– And how much does a good production help enhancing the overall atmosphere? Could you say the mix you have had this time has allowerd you to do everything you wanted to do on the album?
Its necessary. But the type of high gain amps and state of the art production (Studio Fredman) we need, is actually very unforgiving when it comes to guitarplaying, if something is sloppily played on guitar it obviously sounds like shit.
– In fact your songs are more complex than the average into the genre so, how is the songwriting process like in MARTYRDÖD?
I have lots of music in my head. Like always. But I do not think too much in terms of complexity. Im a mostly self-thought guitar player. Possibly thats why Martyrdöd sounds like it does, i. I think that alot of musical innovations may happens by mistake.
– In line with the previous question; what are your main musical influences? Do you all share the same musical interests or does everyone has its own favourites and this affects the sound of the band?
Music brought us all together in the first place. I guess were all different kinds music freaks somehow. But we can communicate this way. Personally I feel very priviliged being to play with friends who are also gifted musicians.
– All this about «Elddop» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Baptism of fire!
– All your lyrics have always been in Swedish so, have you ever considered singing in English?
Not really! Everytime I do an english interview I realize why I write lyrics in Swedish 😉
– In fact you are hailing from Sweden, a country with a great Metal and Rock scene (as all Scandinavia), and both Crust and D-Beat have always been prolific styles in your country, with great bands, both classics and newer bands but, what are some of your fave bands into the style outside of the Scandinavian borders?
Scandinavian käng/hc/punk is definitively our most obvious influence. But I also have lots of unknown influences, not sure where it all comes from. I enjoy all kinds of foreign punk/hc over the years Amebix, antisect badbrains, bolt thrower, cromags, discharge, english dogs and the list goes on too many too mention. I just listened to disgust (uk) from the 90s and its very reminiscent to Swedish dis-core. I still enyoy this type of brutal stuff as much than ever!!
– You now will tour with CONVERGE. What are your expectations on this tour?
Im super stoked about this tour. I think its an opportunity for us to try our wings a little audience-wise here, which makes it interesting for us. Ive met their bassplayer Nate twice. They are a great band, with lots of experience and seem like nice guys. Im sure it will work out great.
– And besides this, what are some of your near-future plans?
We’d like to play more shows next year, perhaps an us tour in 2015, and Im also working on next album as usual.
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Thanks for the interest and some nice questions! To everyone else: Have a listen Elddop! And play it fukkin loud! Peace micke
